Fastener driving apparatus

ABSTRACT

There is provided an improved automatic fastener driving apparatus having a fastener-feed construction for positively and rapidly providing fasteners to the fastener-driving apparatus. The fastener-feed construction includes a magazine feed wherein strips of detachable, connected fasteners are provided in sideby-side relation to a track feeding a fastener-driving tool. A first pusher is provided for pushing the strips of fasteners from a bin along the track, and movable through a return stroke to pick up another strip. A second pusher is provided engageable with a strip in the track during the return of the first pusher so that fasteners are continuously biased into the fastenerdriving tool. Advantageously the fastener-driving tool is pivotally supported so as to be driven upon actuation into contact with a workpiece on an anvil, and the tool will automatically fire upon such actuation.

United States Patent Primary Examiner-Granville Y. Custer, Jr. Attorney-Mason, Kolehmainen, Rathburn & Wyss ABSTRACT: There is provided an improved automatic fastener driving apparatus having a fastener-feed construction for positively and rapidly providing fasteners to the fastenerdriving apparatus. The fastener-feed construction includes a magazine feed wherein strips of detachable, connected fasteners are provided in side-by-side relation to a track feeding a fastener-driving tool. A first pusher is provided for pushing the strips of fasteners from a bin along the track, and movable through a return stroke to pick up another strip A second pusher is provided engageable with a strip in the track during the return of the first pusher so that fasteners are continuously biased into the fastener-driving tool. Advantageously the fastener-driving tool is pivotally supported so as to be driven upon actuation into contact with a workpiece on an anvil, and the tool will automatically fire upon such actuation.

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FIG 2 FASTENER DRIVING APPARATUS The present invention relates to automatic fastener-driving apparatus, and, more particularly, to a new and improved automatic fastener-driving apparatus for driving fasteners in rapid succession into a workpiece and having an improved fastener-feed construction and fastener-advancing mechanism which is capable of storing and supplying a large number of fasteners to the fastener-driving tool without reloading.

In many fastener-applying operations, there is provided a fastener-driving tool on an assemble line or the like wherein it is desirable to drive the fasteners in rapid succession by manual manipulation of the tool so that the fasteners are driven in desired locations. Such power-operated fastenerdriving equipment affords easily manipulated and rapidly operated means for driving the fasteners into varying types of workpieces at high speeds. Fastener-driving tools, such as staple-driving tools, conventionally include a driver and some means for reciprocating the driver in a drive track. Fasteners in the form of sticks or strips of detachably joined fasteners are supplied to the drive track and the fasteners are sequentially severed from the stick during the driving operation to drive the fastener into the workpiece.

A magazine is provided for holding a number of fasteners and successively feeding them into the drive track for engagement by the driver during its driving stroke. Conventionally the magazine supports the supply stick or strip of fasteners for movement along a track in path perpendicular to the path of movement of the driver during its driving stroke. In any case the magazine generally moves the staples along a track which intersects the path of movement of the driver at a right angle.

Such power-operated fastener-driving devices are readily adaptable for use on assembly lines and other production applications that are frequently used for rapid repetitive driving of staples so that a large number of fasteners are rapidly driven or dispensed from the fastener-driving tool. Accordingly it is desirable that the storage or bin section of the magazine have a relatively large capacity so that an operator may keep the fastener-driving device adequately supplied with staples, and that the staples or other fasteners be positively supplied to the feed track of the fastener-driving tool at all times.

Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved fastener-feed construction for a fastener-driving device.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved magazine construction for use with a fastenerdriving device which will accommodate a large number of fasteners.

Yet another object of the present invention resides in the provision of a new and improved fastener-advancing mechanism for use with a power-operated fastener-driving device which is positive in its operation and will assure the provision of a fastener in the drive track of the fastener-driving tool at all times.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved magazine construction for use with a power-operated fastener driving device wherein a large number of fasteners detachably connected in strips may be stored and positively fed into the drive track of the tool.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved fastener-driving apparatus which is capable of driving fasteners in rapid succession by an operator.

For a better understanding of the invention reference may be had to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a right side view of a fastener-driving apparatus according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a left side view of a fastener-driving tool in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional viewof the bin construction in accordance with the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings, there is illustrated a new and improved automatic fastener-driving apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention and indicated generally by the numeral 10. The apparatus 10 includes a power-driven fastener-driving tool 12 and a fixed supporting table or platform 13 having an upstanding work-holding structure defining an anvil 14. The tool 12 is pivotally connected to the table 13 by a pivot 15 such that the fastener-driving tool 12 is pivotally movable toward and away from the anvil 14.

The tool 12 may be of any known type, such as that shown and described in US. Pat. No. 3,040,709, but modified, whereby fluid rather than manual means is used to control the airflow from the reservoir to cause a power stroke of the driver. A trigger valve assembly, such as that shown in US. Pat. No. 3,353,453 employing a fluid-actuated, pistonoperated valve, but without a manually operated buttonlike valve member, has been used in the present invention with excellent results. Briefly, in the illustrated embodiments, the tool 12 is a staple-driving tool having a main body or housing 17 having a downwardly extending head end portion 18 and an integrally formed rearwardly extending hollow handle 19 which serves as a reservoir for containing a supply of compressed fluid. The depending end head portion 18 encloses a pneumatically powered motor mechanism (not shown) which includes a reciprocating driving element or driver movable rapidly downwardly on power or driving strokes into the drive track of a nosepiece 20 for driving fasteners. Fluid for operating the motor mechanism of the tool 12 is supplied directly to the rear of the handle or reservoir 19 through a large fluid line 22. In operation the typical fastener driving tool 12 is held in its static or at rest position under the control of pressurized fluid supplied to a control valve, and is fired through a power or drive stroke by the exhaust of fluid from the control valve.

In the illustrated embodiment the fastener-driving tool 12 is powered through its power-drive stroke under the control of a normally open compressed-air valve 24, supplying control air to the fastener-driving tool 12 through a control line 25. When the air valve 24 is tripped, the line 25 is exhausted to the atmosphere so as to fire the fastener-driving tool 12 through a drive stroke.

The fastener-driving tool 12 may be moved against a workpiece in any suitable manner, as under the control of a foot treadle 28. The foot treadle 28 is connected to a source of compressed fluid (not shown), and is normally exhausted to the atmosphere. Depression of the treadle 28 connects the source of compressed fluid to an actuating cylinder 29 through a fluid line 30. The actuating cylinder 29 includes a piston 31 connected to the tool 12 through a piston rod 32. A compression spring 33 is interposed between the tool 12 and the actuating cylinder 29.

In operation, with the treadle 28 normally exhausting the cylinder 29 to atmosphere, the compression spring 33 biases the fastener-driving tool 12 upwardly so that the nosepiece 20 thereof is above the anvil 14. However depression of the treadle 28 directs compressed fluid through the fluid line 30 into the cylinder 29, driving the piston 31 downwardly, pivoting the fastener-driving tool 12 downwardly until the nosepiece 20 thereof engages against a workpiece held on the anvil l4. Downward movement of the fastener-driving tool 12 causes a projection 34 (FIG. 2) extending from the tool 12 to operate an actuator 24a of the air valve 24 causing the fastener-driving tool 12 to operate through a drive stroke. Release of the treadle 28 will permit separation of the nosepiece 20 from the workpiece held on the anvil 13.

The fastener-driving tool 12 conventionally includes an elongated fastener track, here shown in the form of a staple track 36 positioned in the fastener-driving tool 12 to deliver staples to the forward discharge end or drive track of the fastener-driving tool. The staple track 36 may be enclosed by a magazine or housing of the tool 12. The staples are conventionally supplied in elongated sticks or strips 38 of adhesively secured staples arranged in a well-known manner.

To provide a supply of staples for feeding along the feed track 36 of the fastener driving tool 12, the magazine construction according to the present invention includes storage means consisting of a gravity feedbin 40 fixed to the table 13 which supports a large number of strips 38 of staples. The gravity feedbin 40 is of generally channel-shaped form with a bight portion 400 and a pair of leg portion. Moreover each of the leg portions is provided with an inwardly turned foot or guide 400 to form a bin track receiving the strips 38 of staples in oriented relation with their legs extending toward the bight portion 40a of the bin 40. The gravity feedbin 40, moreover, has a vertically inclined or extending portion and a horizontally extending portion interconnected by a smoothly curved wall portion. The bin 40 terminates in an upwardly extending stop 42 for engaging the lowermost one of the strips 38 of staples in the bin 40 thereby positioning the entire stack of strips within the bin 40. The sticks 38 of staples are fed by gravity and discharged transversely of the bin against the stop 42. The curved portion of the bin is effective to turn the strips 38 of staples so that they reset against the stop 42 with their legs extending downwardly on a bin track 43.

In order to advance the bottommost one of the strips 38 of staples into the feed track 36 of the fastener driving tool 12, there is provided the staple-advancing mechanism generally illustrated at 45 including an advancing carriage 46 reciprocally along a carriage track 47 by means of a power cylinder 48. The cylinder 48 is of the double-acting type and is connected to move the carriage 46 reciprocally along the carriage track 47 under the control ofa pair of control valves 50 and 51. The carriage 46 carries an upstanding projecting portion 53 having a pawl 54 pivotally connected thereto by suitable pivot means such as bolt 55. A stop pin 56 limits movement of the pawl in an advancing direction. The pawl 54 is sufiiciently long to engage the lowermost one of the strips 38 of staples on the bin track 43, and to push the strip along the bin track 43, through a fixed guide track 58, and into the feed track of the fastener driving tool 12, movable between the two positions illustrated in phantom in FIG. 1.

More specifically in operation the cylinder 48 continuously biases the carriage 46 to the right, as viewed in FIG. 1, pushing the strips 38 of fasteners ahead of it until such time as a lower projecting portion 46a on the carriage 46 strikes an actuator pin 510 on the control valve 51. At this moment the cylinder 48 is activated to rapidly return the carriage 46 to the left, as viewed in FIG. 1, the pawl 54 pivoting over the lowermost strip of staples in the bin track 43, to the position illustrated in phantom. At this time the projection 46a of the carriage 46 will strike an actuator pin 50a on the control valve 50, reversing the bias of the cylinder 48. The pawl 54 will swing down, engaging the strip 38 ofstaples in the bin track 43.

Simultaneously with the return stroke of the cylinder 48, a second pusher is activated to maintain positive forward bias on the staples on the guide track. It will be understood that the return stroke of the carriage 46 is very rapid, but it may be possible that one or more power strokes of the fastener-driving tool 12 are called for during the return of the carriage. This staple pusher is generally illustrated at 60 and includes a power cylinder 61 positioned at an angle of the strip 38 of staples in the guide track 58, and having a staple-engaging member 62 position at the end of a piston rod 63 so as frictionally to engage the strip of staples. The power cylinder 61 may be of the single-acting type, and is activated by the control valve 51 through a pressure line 65 simultaneously with the return stroke of the carriage 46. At this time the member 62 is effective to provide forward bias to the strip 38 of staples in the guide track 58.

From the above detailed description, the operation of the improved fastener-driving apparatus and magazine feed is believed clear. However. briefly, it will be understood that pressurized fluid is continuously supplied to the reservoir of the fastener-driving tool 12 through the fluid line 22. The fastener-driving tool 12 is actuated through a drive stroke by the exhaust of fluid from its control valve through a control line 25, and is maintained in a static position by the admittance of pressurized fluid to its control valve to the line 25. When it is desired to actuate the fastener-driving tool through a fastener-driving operation, the treadle 28 is depressed, which directs pressurized fluid to the actuating cylinder 29, pivoting the tool 12 downwardly to bring nosepiece 20 thereof into engagement with a workpiece on the anvil 14. When the tool 12 is pivoted downwardly, a projection 34 secured thereto engages an actuator 24a on an air valve 24, controlling the exhaust of the fluid line 25, and firing the tool 12 through a power or drive stroke. Staples are continuously fed into the drive track of the tool 12 from the bin 40. The bin 40 is maintained with staples in side-by-side relationship, the legs of the staples extending toward the bight portion 40a of the bin, and moving by gravity down a vertical section, along a curved portion, and onto a horizontal bin track 43. The staples are then moved along the bin track 43, guide track 58, and into the feed track 46 of the tool 12.

To advance the staples there is provided the first staple-advancing mechanism 45 effective to continuously bias the staples toward the feed track of the fastener-driving tool 12, except during the rapid return stroke of the carriage 46, by bias transmitted to the staples through a pawl 54 riding with the carriage 46 and biased forwardly by the cylinder 48. The carriage 46 reciprocates between the positions illustrated in phantom in FIG. 1, being moved through the advancing stroke and through a rapid return stroke by control valves 50 and 51 actuated by a projection 460 on the carriage 46. During the return stroke of the carriage 46, the second staple-advancing mechanism or staple pusher 60 is activated to provide forward bias to the staple sticks.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A magazine feed for a fastener-driving tool of the type having fastener-driving means operable to drive fasteners from an elongated strip of detachably connected fasteners into a workpiece having an elongated fastener feed track, the combination comprising means for storing and sequentially feeding elongated strips of detachably connected fasteners to said feed track including a feedbin for receiving a plurality of elongated strips of detachably connected fasteners in side-by-side relation and for delivering said strips sequentially from a position to one side of the axis of said feed track into a bin track coaxially with said feed track, means interconnecting said bin track and said feed track for guiding strips of fasteners between said bin track and said guide track, first pusher means movable through an advance stroke to bias a strip in said bin track to move said strip therefrom and to permit another strip to feed from said bin onto said bin track, and movable through a return stroke to engage the last-mentioned strip, and second pusher means engageable with the strip on said guide track only during the return stroke ofsaid first pusher means.

2. A magazine feed as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first pusher means includes a carriage reciprocally movable along said bin track, and having a pawl engaging a strip of staples during its advancing stroke, and slideable over a strip during the return stroke of said carriage.

3. A magazine feed as set forth in claim 1 wherein the second-mentioned pusher comprises a member frictionally engageable with a strip of staples biasing said strip forwardly during the return stroke of said carriage.

4. A magazine feed for a fastener driving tool of the type having fastener-driving means operable to drive fasteners from an elongated strip of detachably connected fasteners into a workpiece having an elongated fastener-feed track, the combination comprising means for storing and sequentially feeding elongated strips of detachably connected fasteners to said feed track including a feedbin for receiving a plurality of elongated strips of detachably connected fasteners in side-by-side relation and for delivering said strips sequentially from a position to one side of the axis of said feed track into a bin track coaxially with said feed track, means interconnecting said bin track and said feed track for guiding strips of fasteners between said bin track and said guide track, first pusher means movable through an advance stroke to bias a strip in said bin track to move said strip therefrom and to permit another strip to feed from said bin onto said bin track, and movable through a return stroke to engage the last-mentioned strip, and second pusher means engageable with the strip on said guide track during the return stroke of said first pusher means, said second mentioned pusher means comprises a member frictionally engaging with a strip of staples biasing said strip forwardly during the return stroke of said carriage, said last mentioned pusher means comprising a power cylinder, and said member being connected to the piston rod of said cylinder engaging said strip at an angle providing a forward component of bias.

5. In combination, the magazine feed as set forth in claim 1, and an apparatus for driving fasteners into a workpiece comprising a power driven fastener driving tool, a workpiece support means adapted to support a workpiece adjacent said tool, motor means operable for producing relative movement between said tool and said support to place said tool in contact with a workpiece on said support means, manual control means movable between a normally inoperative position to an operative position for operating said motor means, and trigger means operable between a normal and drive position by the movement of said fastener driving tool relative to said support means.

6. A magazine feed for a fastener-driving tool of the type having fastener-driving means operable to drive fasteners from an elongated strip of detachably connected fasteners into a workpiece, comprising an elongated fastener-feed track, first pusher means reciprocally movable through an advance stroke to bias strips of staples in said track toward the drive track of said fastener-driving tool and movable through a rapid return stroke to engage an additional strip of staples for advancement toward the drive track, and second pusher means effective only during the return stroke of the first pusher means to bias strips of fasteners on said feed track toward the drive track of said fastener-driving tool. 

1. A magazine feed for a fastener-driving tool of the type having fastener-driving means operable to drive fasteners from an elongated strip of detachably connected fasteners into a workpiece having an elongated fastener feed track, the combination comprising means for storing and sequentially feeding elongated strips of detachably connected fasteners to said feed track including a feedbin for receiving a plurality of elongated strips of detachably connected fasteners in side-by-side relation and for delivering said strips sequentially from a position to one side of the axis of said feed track into a bin track coaxially with said feed track, means interconnecting said bin track and said feed track for guiding strips of fasteners between said bin track and said guide track, first pusher means movable through an advance stroke to bias a strip in said bin track to move said strip therefrom and to permit another strip to feed from said bin onto said bin track, and movable through a return stroke to engage the last-mentioned strip, and second pusher means engageable with the strip on said guide track only during the return stroke of said first pusher means.
 2. A magazine feed as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first pusher means includes a carriage reciprocally movable along said bin track, and having a pawl engaging a strip of staples during its advancing stroke, and slideable over a strip during the return stroke of said carriage.
 3. A magazine feed as set forth in claim 1 wherein the second-mentioned pusher comprises a member frictionally engageable with a strip of staples biasing said strip forwardly during the return stroke of said carriage.
 4. A magazine feed for a fastener driving tool of the type having fastener-driving means operable to drive fasteners from an elongated strip of detachably connected fasteners into a workpiece having an elongated fastener-feed track, the combination comprising means for storing and sequentially feeding elongated strips of detachably connected fasteners to said feed track including a feedbin for receiving a plurality of elongated strips of detachably connected fasteners in side-by-side relation and for delivering said strips sequentially from a position to one side of the axis of said feed track into a bin track coaxially with said feed track, means interconnecting said bin track and said feed track for guiding strips of fasteners between said bin track and said guide track, first pusher means movable through an advance stroke to bias a strip in said bin track to move said strip therefrom and to permit another strip to feed from said bin onto said bin track, and movable through a return stroke to engage the last-mentioned strip, and second pusher means engageable with the strip on said guide track during the return stroke of said first pusher means, said second mentioned pusher means comprises a member frictionally engaging with a strip of staples biasing said strip forwardly during the return stroke of said carriage, said last mentioned pusher means comprising a power cylinder, and said member being connected to the piston rod of said cylinder engaging said strip at an angle providing a forward component of bias.
 5. In combination, the magazine feed as set forth in claim 1, and an apparatus for driving fasteners into a workpiece comprising a power driven fastener driving tool, a workpiece support means adapted to support a workpiece adjacent said tool, motor means operable for producing relative movement between said tool and said support to place said tool in contact with a workpiece on said support means, manual control means movable between a normally inoperative position to an operative position for operating said motor means, and trigger means operable between a normal and drive position by the movement of said fastener driving tool relative to said support means.
 6. A magazine feed for a fastener-driving tool of the type having fastener-driving means operable to drive fasteners from an elongated strip of detachably connected fasteners into a workpiece, comprising an elongated fastener-feed track, first pusher means reciprocally movable through an advance stroke to bias strips of staples in said track toward the drive track of said fastener-driving tool and movable through a rapid return stroke to engage an additional strip of staples for advancement toward the drive track, and second pusher means effective only during the return stroke of the first pusher means to bias strips of fasteners on said feed track toward the drive track of said fastener-driving tool. 